Category: Nurse

The Role and Character of a Registered Nurse

The character of a nurse is just as important as the knowledge she possesses. Registered nurses comfort and assist us so we can feel more comfortable and enhance our care. As a registered nurse I can influence the world by providing advice and emotional support to patients and their families. The challenge in nursing is not the hard studying but the stereotypes, harassment and pay gap.

There is a lot of studying and hard work at the beginning of becoming a registered nurse. I am grateful for my medical studies classes because they have shown me the basic challenges I will face in my journey of becoming a registered nurse. My CTE class has taught me the basic principles in the medical field to help me prepare for my future career. For example, the prefix, suffix & word root to understand medical words. Also, it has helped me learn how to properly hand hygiene, properly apply knee-elastic stocking & property assist with the use of bedpan, so I can be advanced in giving proper healthcare. Registered nurses fulfill a variety of job duties and responsibilities. Most registered nurses work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists. Registered nurses duties and titles often depend on where they work and the patient they work for. For example, they record patients’ medical histories and symptoms. Also, observe patient and record observation while administering patients medicine and treatments. Nursing offers a wide variety of options for areas of focus.

The Growing Demand for Nurses in the Healthcare Industry

There are more than 3 million registered nurses in the United States. These healthcare professionals are at the front line of the medical industry. Gulf Coast Region of Texas health care providers continue to grow in response to ever increasing population demands. Registered nurses are expected to increase by 16% by 2024, which is faster than the national average for all other occupations. Dallas, Texas is surprisingly affordable for a nurse making the average salary of $71,000. Houston, Texas ranking first in every category. Houston is the best metro area for a registered nurse. At 14.6% the Houston metro made up the largest share at nursing jobs among the top ten. This generation is creating greater demand for health care in many places and some cities have become major hubs for health care providers.

Educational Pathways and Career Progression in Nursing

There are multiple entry levels in nursing. You can work towards certification and licensing for a career as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. Registered nurse education degree requirements range from a diploma to a bachelor’s degree. Nurses can also be doctors. They can earn a Ph.D. (Doctors of Philosophy) or a DNP (Doctors of Nursing Practice). Their license should always be up to date. Some nurses do not work directly with patients but must still have an active registered nurses license. Nurses work in many different environments as well as specialization providing the opportunity for a full and rewarding career.

Salary and Compensation for Registered Nurses

Registered nurses earn a competitive salary however the income of a registered nurse depends on several factors, including location, type of specialization, industry, and advanced certifications. The average salary of a registered nurse in the United States is $71,000. The average hourly wage of a registered nurse is $34.14. Nurses can be demanded everywhere. Experienced nurses can really go anywhere they want to find a job. Registered nurses may make more or less than these amounts based on other factors. While some lower-paying states average in the $20 per hour pay, stats show that some areas within the top ten highest paying states also average as low as $26.75.

I am interested in the occupation as a registered nurse because I can make a difference in someone’s life. You’ll value life as a nurse, when you see people fighting to stay alive. I am also interested because I am trusted with lives. Nursing is a science, and trained and prudent nurses are right there next to doctors when it comes to saving lives. As a nurse I learn continuously. As a nurse you have a continuous opportunity of learning by working in different departments. I am interested because as a nurse I grow as a person even as I make a difference in another person’s life.

Nurses around the world serve others 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, and in doing so can help change lives. They give their time freely and sacrifice for people they’ve likely never met before. Whether it is serving in a hospital or local community, or educating families about the treatment plans regarding loved ones, nurses help make a difference in the world – one life at a time.

Challenges in Nursing: Gender Equality and Workplace Harassment

I don’t believe that everybody should be paid the same. I believe in equal pay for equal work. Registered nurses provide the best care they can while making themselves indispensable to both doctors and patients. What are gender equality issues in the nursing profession? Gender equality issues in the nursing profession include wage gaps between males and females, workplace violence toward women, misogyny, and fewer job opportunities for females. The solution to ending these striking issues is to introduce new laws promoting equality.

Also one of the most interesting fields where gender discrimination occurs is healthcare. Harassment exists in the medical field and stereotypes is one of them. Both male and females are faced daily with unfair stereotypes. A nurses goal is to help people every day no matter what so we need to take a stand against these stereotypes in a positive and not a negative way.

Going into the nursing profession men and women should both be paid the same as they have the same amount of training and do the same work. Evidently they are paid with a bias on which gender they are instead. Male registered nurses earn, on average, $5,000 more than their female counterparts. Kelly Gooch in her article reveals the astonishing fact that male nurses make $5,000 more than their female counterparts while doing the same work. In 2010, the median weekly salary for male nurses was $1,201, compared to $1,039 for women.Even as recently as 2010 the wage gap between male and female nurses exist. Male nurses in the exact same profession, workplace, and with the same qualifications make an unfair 11% more than the women nurses working with them. The wage gap is not a myth. It exists, and it hurts women in all major professions, especially nursing. To fix this the United States government needs to introduce new laws enforcing equal pay in all professions.

Nurses (male and female) receive the same education and training and they all provide the same safe, high-quality patient care for every type of procedure. The pay gap should be eliminated because there’s no acceptable reason for there to be such an imbalance in the pay scales.

Away from the mental anguish, the wage gap brings to female nurses, they must also worry about actual violence in the workplace. Between 2012 and 2014, workplace violence injury rates increased for all healthcare job classifications and nearly doubled for nurse assistants and nurses. Within the past 4-6 years, violence in the workplace for nurses nearly doubled. This includes violence between co-workers, patients to nurses, and male nurses toward female nurses.

The percentage of male nurses and female physicians continues to rise, and yet almost century-old stereotypes still exist in these professions. There are males who work as nurses for a local hospital and experience gender bias on a daily basis. They are presumed to be a physician by patients, patients’ family members, and even other medical staff. Likewise, female physicians are mistaken for nurses and often approached to perform the duties of a nurse. Sometimes their opinion is even discredited because they are female physicians and not male physicians. Women must see that they should not respond in a negative or bad behavior but instead prove these stereotypes wrong positively.

Society is stuck with the belief that being a nurse is for women. This causes a challenge for men in the registered nurse field because they get characterized as gay when they are not. We need to eliminate the sexual stereotypes barrier and eliminate occupational differences. For that reason society and the nursing profession will be more accepting of male nurses with same sex partners & won’t discriminate straight male nurses.

Personal Motivation and the Impact of Nursing

My inspiration is all the nurses and doctors because they have studied for so long to help people and make the world a better place. My inspiration goes for the healthcare field because they make sure that everyone receives the best health care, no matter if they are rich or poor, by making available health care resources such as Medicare and Medicaid. They are my inspiration because they are so dedicated to helping people that the hospital starts to become their home. Medicine and surgeries become their life. They spend more hours at work than at home just to make sure we are okay.

I believe that the solution of having the United States government introduced new laws enforcing equal pay in all professions will be beneficial for the pay gap because that is what they deserve. They have equal training and education which should also lead to Equal pay. Also, I believe on the solution of education workers about discrimination and encourage workers to respect each other’s differences will eliminate negative discrimination in the workplace because everyone will have enough respect for each other and they will not discriminate against each other. The respect they will have for one another will end harassment and discrimination by defending one another when something goes wrong. While their focus is to better our health and keep us alive the least we can do is respect them and not judge nor harass them. Violence and harassment is not only in the medical field but also outside and our job is to end all unfairness and inequality that is toward doctors and nurses because we are a fair society that is equal to everyone. Not all heroes wear caps and healthcare workers are one of them.

My capstone starts by giving an introduction into what a registered nurse is. It talks about its salary, certification and education involving registered nurse. Afterward, it talks about my interest in becoming a registered nurse. It then starts by introducing one of the problems in health care which is the gender pay gap in the medical field. In ends that topic with a solution for that problem and starts a new problem in the medical field that is harassment and discrimination in the medical field aiming for both male and female. It gives a solution to that problem and starts talking about my inspiration in the medical field. Last but not least it talks about my ideas on the solutions and why I agree with them and I give my conclusion.

When Lisa was a girl, she always knew she wanted to save lives. She watched her neighbor who was a nurse care for people in the neighborhood and believed that she could also do that. It was a quiet calling, a feeling that she needed more fulfillment in her work and she also wanted to be challenged.

The demand for registered nurses had risen by the time she finished high school, so one had to graduate from a nursing program. She decided on her route of education to pursue an Associate’s degree in nursing in order to become nurse earlier.

She applied for the best nursing college to meet her needs financially, geographically and educational. She also had to check things like the pass and job placement rates. She however was not from a financially stable family so she had to look for programs that were accredited, the fees and tuition fees costs had to also be weighed, and choose those that she could afford. She therefore settled for a nursing program that allowed her to graduate and get work in two years’ time and she would earn money as a registered nurse while receiving assistance to complete her degree later.

Due to the high demand for nursing programs, it was competitive for her as there were many other people in the same position or even better who wanted to be nurses. She had to put in much effort, in her diligence, and prepare to make the best impression for interviews while filling out the applications and entry level nurse resume. She knew she had the calling and so she had to poses the qualities in order to fulfil the prerequisites and requirements of the chosen nursing school.

Nursing school was hard, she struggled with difficult material, a no rest schedule which often led to isolation feelings from friends and family. She always remembered that it was her calling and that kept her moving whenever she felt like giving up, to the precious goal of graduating and then get to work as a nurse. She had made good friends and the rotations and projects had built her a strong foundation for her nursing career. She was almost done!

After her graduation, she applied for the Registered Nurse license. She had to meet some set requirements, pay some fees and fill out some paperwork after which she registered for the national examination. She passed the exam along with the other requirements and received her license in three weeks.

She then became a registered nurse after the exam, she had completed her journey in her nursing career. She now needed to get her first job with which she was lucky since nurses were on demand to fill in for the older retiring ones in various health facilities to fill gaps. She started her first job in a nursing home, maintained connections with supervisors from rotations, to keep her eye out for more open nursing positions. She knew that once she landed her first nursing position, she could take her career wherever she wanted. She is now the head nurse in a national hospital.

Religion versus treatments is a noted by disputed concern in nursing and medical field. Religious beliefs are totally regards some practices and procedures that are recommended for through the medical institutions. For instance, healthcare facilities supports the procedure of blood transfers as it helps in saving person’s life but some religion come up against it. Religion also is not going to sustain problems like abortion and the process of issuing sedatives to the very mentally ill persons. A healthcare facility encourages abortion if it brings about health related problems to a person. Religion detests abortion as in a wrong way views this murder (Frohwirth, Coleman & Moore, 2018). This paper attempts to show how religious beliefs hinder the treatments in the medical arena.

Firstly, religious and personal beliefs are making communication with the family a challenge and fear of litigation by the nurses. According to a research carried out by Ntantana et al. (2017), a stochastically higher number of nurses (81.1%) compared with the doctors (66.9%) believed that the family should be made aware about decisions to forego life-sustaining treatments. They do not disclose such information to the families since the second parties would not be able to understand the medical information, and because they fear litigation. It is found that personality and religious characteristics influence the end of life issues. There are few studies examining the influence of religious beliefs and personality on decisions to forego life-sustaining treatments. Nurses and doctors together with the patients should keep apart their religious and personal issues when it comes to matters of health. In case of blood donation, they should co-operate to do it to save more lives.

Secondly, it is well verified that deaths in the intensive care unit brings about a notable emotional intention on healthcare personnel. Ntantana et al. (2017) found that personality and religious orientation may obstruct decision making in respect to specific vital decisions in saving the lives, causing collective issues between people with different personality and religious beliefs which may obstruct the teamwork in the intensive care unit and increase the emotional freight and fatigue among intensive care unit professionals. Unfortunately, it cannot easily divert their personality and religious orientation; nevertheless, by promoting the communication between hospitals personnel, involving the nursing staff in the life saving decisions, and discussing on a regular basis the ethical dilemmas faced daily in the intensive care unit, they can improve the feeling of quality care and reduce job tensity.

Additionally, personality is defined as distinctive and comparatively experiencing ways of thinking, feeling and acting. According to Ntantana et al. (2017), nurses and females scored higher on neuroticism compared with physicians and males while a higher score for psychoticism was found in males. Ntantana et al. (2017) postulated that there is a bias regarding these contrasts in the psychological identity between doctors and nurses because there was a prevalence of females in their sample. Ntantana et al. also found that these two categorical variables were maverickally related to neuroticism. Concerning the relationship between the personality profile and the attitude against intensive care unit and lifesaving decisions professionals with high scores on neuroticism prefer the term passive euthanasia over futile care, and professionals with psychoticism withhold information from the family for fear of litigation (Ntanatana et al., 2017). Therefore nursing personnel should not let their personalities influence them during decision making.

In conclusion, differences in our personalities and religions have greatly influenced medical and nursing activities in health facilities. They have hindered the ways the hospital professional disseminate treatment information to the patients and their families. These differences have also brought impacts on how nurses and doctors make lifesaving decisions, mostly in intensive care units. Therefore, all the hospital personnel should work together to ensure that their religion and personal orientations do not affect them during these vital points of life.

References

1. Frohwirth, L., Coleman, M., Moore, A.M. (2018 November 21). Managing Religion and Morality Within the Abortion Experience: Qualitative Interviews With Women Obtaining Abortions in the U.S. NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6424365/
2. Ntantana, A. et al. (2017 July 21). The impact of healthcare professionals’ personality and religious beliefs on the decisions to forego life sustaining treatments: an observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study in Greek intensive care units. NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5577864/

Sarah E. Jorgensen RN, left the nursing profession after being a part of the emergency field for seventeen years. In her article “Here’s why I left nursing” she talks about how the field took a toll on her. “Leaving the nursing profession is bittersweet. My heart left nursing a while ago when I came to the realization that nursing left me first. It never was a two-way relationship. The profession left me without acknowledgement of work-related stress, specifically post-traumatic stress (PTS)” (Jorgensen). Nursing gave her a lot of things in life, both in a positive and negative light. Having the right mental and physical strength to complete this job isn’t always enough when it comes to working in such a demanding field. Jorgensen talks about how nursing was never a two-way relationship and that is completely understandable. In reality the struggles nurses suffer through takes a toll on their mental and physical strength. With the intensity and the demands of having a job in the health field, the daily life, long hours and stress along with the conditoins nurses are working in, it is too critical for nurses to handle,which are causing them to leave their jobs. In the March 2005 issue of Nursing Economics, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues found that more than 75% of RNs believe the nursing shortage presents a major problem for the quality of their work life, the quality of patient care, and the amount of time nurses can spend with patients. Looking forward, almost all surveyed nurses see the shortage in the future as a catalyst for increasing stress on nurses (98%), lowering patient care quality (93%) and causing nurses to leave the profession (93%). What researchers are asking now is what can we do to stop this. A nursing shortage impacts the entire world–Something must be done.

What is a nurse? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary A nurse is a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health, or simply a person who cares for the sick or infirm. But, any nurse would agree that it is so much more than that. A nurse is compassionate and caring. They are logical and good at reasoning; They are strong-minded, resourceful people who dedicate their lives towards their patients every need. Nurses teach concrete skills, such as how to apply a dressing to a wound, as well as medical knowledge, like the signs and symptoms of worsening diabetes. More and more nurses are also tasked with educating patients on how to navigate the healthcare system, especially how to access care. To many patients and their families, a nurse is their lifeline to the entire workings of the healthcare facility. By answering questions and listening to concerns, a nurse acts as an ambassador for a patient. Nursing is not just a practice that one does for money, it is a passion, a lifestyle. The amount of blood, sweat, and tears that go into being able to perform such a complicated and overworking job takes a strong person. Nurses may be healthcare professionals but they are so much more.

Even though nurses are strong willed, they are being broken down by the stress and sleep deprivation of the work they need to do to complete their jobs. Research Dan Hasson wrote an article talking about the declining sleep quality among nurses.Several studies have established that nursing is a stressful profession, and stressful working conditions for nurses have been suggested to be influential on sick leave, turnover rates and the likelihood of leaving the job. Whereas acute stress is generally adaptive, long-term exposure to stress without sufficient recovery may cause various adverse health consequences and diseases’ ‘ (Hasson). Stress is known to take a toll on a person’s well being, which in total can cause nurses to become sleep deprived or ill, which is a major problem when it comes to having a job where you care for the sick or infirmed. Being sleep deprived could seriously be threatening to a patient’s life. It could cause a nurse to misread information on a patient which can lead to the wrong dosage of medicine that could cause a reaction in the patient and lead them to death. Also if a nurse is extremely tired on the job and a patient codes (goes into cardiac arrest), the nurse would not have enough physical strength to perform life saving measures that could save a patients life. In Hasson’s same article it states, “Stress disturbs homeostasis and sleep appears to be important for restoring and maintaining it. Hence, sleep is suggested to be an important “antistress” mediator that counteracts the wear and tear of stress on individuals’ ‘ (Hasson). Stress is a negative impact on a nurses life and yes, everyone gets stressed and it affects individuals differently. As a nurse you need to get adequate amounts of sleep to be able to perform everyday work tasks to the highest standard. In an article by Jane Sumner it claims “The causes of nurses’ exodus from acute health care delivery practice may lie more in intrinsic factors rather than the heretofore overtly expressed reasons. This article examines bureaucratic factors, issues related to the medical profession and medical/scientific discourse, and factors within the nursing profession itself that may contribute to a nurse’s unhappiness and dissatisfaction that causes him or her to leave. Nursing as emotional work and the implications for the individual nurse, and nursing as moral and moral distress are discussed. Suggestions to facilitate retention are made for changing the work environment to feel valued for their skillfully applied humanness” (Sumner). An explanation of this article is clearly more bureaucratic than the actual factors of being able to care for the patients and take care of how they are treated. The essence of the nursing role has never changed: provide care to enhance a patient’s quality of life, partner with interdisciplinary professions to create and carry out the best plan of care, and advocate for the health and wellness of patients and the community. What has changed significantly in the past 20 years is the environment in which the nurse is expected to carry out his or her role.

With the struggles of sleep deprivation and stress being piled on top of their workload, that is unfortunately not the only problem that nurses struggle with. Nurses are also leaving from frustrations about the lack of technology. In an article written by Elain Larson “One potential area of research using electronic data is the assessment of nursing workload and the intensity of care nurses must provide. Such assessment is invaluable because patient and nurse outcomes are significantly associated with care intensity. High workloads are associated with lower job satisfaction and burnout and higher turnover among nursing staff and, more importantly, with compromised patient safety, reduced quality of care, and increased adverse patient outcomes and mortality” (Larson). This article is stating that if nurses used EHR (electronic health records) to collect information regarding all the information about the patients it would reduce the level of stress and increase the level of patient care that every nurse gives their patients. Sicker patients often require more nursing care, and researchers must adjust for patient acuity using well established measures to accurately assess the relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes. Although there are validated tools for measuring the potential impact of patient acuity on nursing care requirements, severity of illness is just one of a number of factors that predict nursing care demands. The nursing staff must adjust their techniques that are currently used to care for patients to make sure that every single patient is given the proper care. Electronic Health records aren’t always a great way to collect information though. EHR can breach the patients HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Rights. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provides the ability to transfer and continue health insurance coverage for millions of American workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs; it reduces health care fraud and abuse; mandates industry-wide standards for health care information on electronic billing and other processes; and requires the protection and confidential handling of protected health information. Thus when nurses use electronic health records, they are at risk for patient information getting into the wrong hands which can lead to the hospital being sued, and or the said nurse losing his or her job at the hospital they work at.

Electronic Health Records are a smart idea when it comes to helping nurses with the struggles of having a larger quantity of patients because of this Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare has more patients accessing care, many for the first time in years. In an article written by Registered Nursing.or it explains that states such as California took the opportunity to significantly change the standards to meet the low-income Medicaid acceptance policy, which added thousands of patients to the already full healthcare register. Medicaid makes it easier for low income families to be able to afford health care. Nurses are expected to do more with fewer resources in an effort to compensate for the amount of patients that are coming into the hospital. The expectations from the hospital leadership–medical directors and doctors– as well as the patients and their families boils down to tremendous stress for the nurse.

In March 2014, Peter McMenamin, for the American Nurses Association, wrote a similar comment about the faculty shortage strain using the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of Employment Projections for 2012-2022.4 “BLS projects that there will need to be 35 percent more faculty members to meet the expected increase in demand. In addition, 10,200 current faculty members are expected to retire. Therefore 34,200 new nursing instructors will be needed by 2022. Could the collected colleges of nursing recruit 3,420 new nursing instructors per year through 2022”? McMenamin asks:

There are several challenges here. If nothing else, nurses recruited into teaching will spend less time treating patients when more nurses in patient care will be needed. There is also a new focus on strengthening the education of RNs, in particular, aiming to increase the proportion of RNs with a BSN education. Those colleges of nursing that are part of universities are also under some pressure to enhance their staff by recruiting more faculty members with doctorates (McMenamin).

A take on this article is that nurses– who go into teaching other nursing students– is being over populated and the need for patient handling nurses is going “extinct.” If we have more nurses who are willing to go into patient care, then it would take less stress on the few we have now. Nurses now are overworked. There is enough evidence to suggest there are more than enough qualified nurses in the United States. Adela Ellis wrote in her article “The Reality of the Nursing Crisis” that the problem is that hospital administrators are unwilling to spend the money required to hire enough staff. Which in all reality is the opposite of what they really need. In fact, this source claims that short-staffing nurses is not cost-effective because it costs more to rectify the problems associated with understaffing over the long term. Nurses are sometimes working double to triple shifts or sometimes twenty-four to forty-eight hours at a time which causes them to be exhausted by the time their next shift starts, which leads to improper patient care. A nurse’s primary role is to administer care to patients. When nurses have to work in an environment where there are too many patients per nurse, patients have a higher risk of injury, infections, and even death. Nurses must often care for several seriously ill patients at a time and have to choose which patient’s condition is most urgent. This is the obvious harm of the patients, but it also takes a mental and physical toll on the nurses. Nurses should not have to struggle with their passion when that is the field they wanted to go into. More nurses are leaving their said field with the hope that their stress and their physical and mental health will get better. It is completely horrible that they have to find a new job because they can not stand the struggles of their profession. In an article written by Adela Ellis it states “Hospital managers realize they need creative solutions for recruiting and retaining nurses. Some hospitals in the U.S. are offering sign-on bonuses between $1,500 to $5,000. A hospital in Buffalo, New York collaborated with an international corporation to pay prospective nurses to go to nursing school under the condition they work for them after graduation” (Ellis). The main concept taken from this article is hospitals are so in need of nurses that they are doing anything they can possibly do to get enough nurses to come and work for them. Companies are giving scholarships that offer to pay full ride for your college as long as you agree to work for them for five consecutive years after you graduate. Additionally, they are handing out sign on bonuses when it comes to getting a job. If hospitals are so desperate to pay people to work for them, that should be a light bulb going off in the back of their head telling them that maybe their working conditions are not as good as they believe them to be. A better idea would be to improve the working conditions of said hospital first so that not as many nurses are leaving. Hiring more is a good idea because it takes the stress off of current nurses having to be able to multitask and be overworked.

Along with the fact that many hospitals aren’t hiring, the poor conditions of their profession are also causing nurses to leave. In an article written by the MinorityNurse called “Why Good Nurses Leave the Profession” it talks about how one the greatest complaints nurses have is the poor support from the management team. The article says “Management may not even be aware of the stressors their staff encounters working the bedside. It could be that they are so wrapped up with their own job that they can’t focus on what would make life better for their staff. Or it could be that they just don’t care. Whatever the case, nurses do feel strongly about poor management” (MinorityNurse). A major stressor of nurses leaving their field is lack of proper work conditions and having poor management is not a way to release the stress. Nurses are one of the backbones of the hospital and health field world. Nurse’s jobs can be mentally and physically draining, and many nurses feel underpaid for the work that they do (MinorityNurses). Nurses are constantly being overworked and doing a large amount of tasks.

Living in different cultures throughout my lifetime, healthcare always seemed to be an essential component as to how the community would function. The backbone of the healthcare system is that of nurses, who bring palliative care to every patient. I wish to become an adult nurse so that I can support and advocate for unwell individuals as the rewarding feeling of so is incomparable.

Nursing requires great interaction amongst both the patients and colleagues, such as the doctors and other nurses. Having worked in retail for over 6 years, I understand the value of communication and attending to a customer’s needs, as each is different yet just as crucial. Recording stock in retail mirrors the importance of recording the medical history and symptoms of a patient as it not only displays responsibility but it ensures that the best medication can be provided according to so. Having studied a degree in Marketing and Management (Bachelors with Honour), I developed my critical thinking which proves useful in retail as I am able to think systematically and clearly when attending to a customer. The fast environment of a growing company means that I must always be attentive and on my feet all day as this simply maximises my efficiency to carry out a variety of tasks throughout the day as like it would be in a hospital environment.

Being a father of five, I possess the natural ability to feel responsible for another person. As like nurses, the way you communicate, interact and treat them affects them in the wider society and that is not something that should be taken lightly. For instance, when my youngest was placed in the NICU, I would never fail to see the same nurses upon arrival which emphasised the relationships that can be built between nurses and patient’s families as they facilitated the care required for my daughter to develop. This is a trait that makes loved ones feel secure that their mother, father, son, or daughter is in the best hands possible in terms of treatment and care. As an Irish-Nigerian, the principle of interdependence is crucial for the society to work, which is replicated in nursing alongside multiple members of a care team to perform interventions for a range of different patients.

Having decided to return back to education this late in my life, is a decision that has not been easy for me and my family, but ultimately is the correct one, as I feel I have more to offer now more than ever. The opportunities here as a nurse is commendable as the profession is in high demand whether it be in private or the NHS which compels me even more, as I feel obligated to give back to a country that has helped me and my family for many years.

In my everyday life, I believe that I embrace the 6C’s of nursing especially in my free time, where I like to speak to old friends from Nigeria, watch movies with my family and cook. Often talking to companions embraces the skill of compassion as there is an established level of mutual respect and empathy is provided whenever needed. Effective time management and attention to detail are also crucial skills that enable a nurse to do their job as it ensures high work quality, lets you take advantage of learning opportunities, ensures accurate medication dosages and observes slight changes in the condition of the patient. All of which are essential for the role of the nurse to be carried out successfully, which I show whenever cooking. As for watching movies frequently with my family, it allows me to appreciate the commitment required to maintain a supportive and kind atmosphere within the household, an atmosphere that is also found amongst nurses.

Nursing is a challenging profession that can include, 24-hour care, on-call shifts, and stress yet I am confident that being able to constantly learn, as well as provide action and care to those in need will be worth it. Therefore as a diligent, passionate individual I intend to contribute to the nursing service by any means necessary.

There are various fields available in the world today. The healthcare field is a field that plays a major role in our daily lives. Our health is part of who we are. Your overall health helps determine the efficiency of your ability to carry out daily tasks. There are various people that specialize in the healthcare field that help contribute to the health of people. They help others by finding ways to maintain or improve their overall health. The medical field can be referred to as a tree filled with different branches resembling the various fields available within the healthcare field. In those branches, there is the nursing field within that branch we encounter the twig or specialty of a Nurse practitioner.

The nursing branch focuses on helping individuals from all ages and backgrounds in achieving their optimum state of wellness by restoring, retaining, or maintaining their health. A nurse practitioner helps achieve those goals for their patients by diagnosing the illness if any are present. When diagnosing the illness you are able to take part in creating a treatment plan most suitable for your patient. To ensure the best results you’re able to educate your patient on their current situation. A patient can be informed and educated about topics regarding medication, daily life, as well as nutrition. The patient would also need to be informed about the negative aspects of their state of health if needed. Hoping to achieve or maintain the wellness of the patient. As a young child, I’ve always been interested in helping others. My mom had a side job of babysitting, and I would always help her with tasks to ensure the children’s care. It wasn’t until 3 years ago when I started helping again. Three years ago my grandma had a brain hemorrhage due to her medical backgrounds such as high blood pressure and stress. The hemorrhagic stroke affected her brain and left her left side of the body weak. She was lucky, however and regained most control of the left side. Throughout her recovery, as a family, we were able to provide care. Helping her bathe, daily exercise, as well as providing nutrients essential to her, and treatment necessary hoping for an optimal recovery.

A nurse practitioner can accomplish their care in various environments. The benefits of pursuing the job of a Nurse practitioner is how flexible it can be. Where the practitioner is able to learn and grow their practice in various fields of nursing. A nurse practitioner wouldn’t restrain their area of practice. For example, the environment of the job could range from a public setting such as hospitals and community care. In a hospital, an NP is able to work in areas such as emergency rooms. As on the other hand, a nurse practitioner can also experience a more private setting including private practice and homes. A nurse practitioner is able to provide care for people in all settings and ages.

To start your pathway to become a nurse practitioner there are various routes available to become a practitioner. According to the website Nurse Practitioner schools the most common route is after graduating high school and obtaining your diploma you proceed to enroll in college. In the college that you choose you to take classes to obtain your B.S.N. Your bachelors can take up to 4 years as a full-time student. Once you’ve completed your degree the student takes the exam NCLEX-RN to become a board certified RN from a certain organization making sure you earn certification to practice in your applied state. After you have gained your RN license you have the choice to gain experience in a nursing residency for 1-2 years, or the student can go straight into applying into medical school and gain experience after you have become an NP. When applying into med school you can expand your degree into an M.S.N. To obtain your M.S.N you must have a B.S.N. There are programs to help obtain your B.S.N. from an entry-level nurse. The common entry levels below bachelor’s degree is a diploma in nursing, Associates degree in nursing, and a Licenced practical nurse. With the degree of M.S.N, you’re able to pursue a further specialization. You can specialize in a general nursing degree or complete your degree, and further specialize in areas such as Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse anesthetist, Acute care, Neonatal Nurse, Midwife etc. Once you have successfully finished your education you must get a board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Your position in the career would be one degree away from being in the highest level of nursing. The highest level of nursing would be achieving a doctorate in nursing.

To be able to succeed as a nurse Practitioner you may need to have or develop certain skills. One of the skills that will help you with your patients is communication skills. Communicating with your patient helps by understanding not only their physical state but as well as their mental state psychologically. When being a nurse you have the chance to not only assess them for their physical health but also connect with them to ensure their overall holistic wellness. Compared to other jobs in the medical field, their first and main goal may not be the patient’s overall being. When communicating with your patients a downside would be getting attached, or close to your patient making a connection. Becoming attached to your patient may make it difficult to complete their care especially if the patient becomes deceased. Another skill a nurse Practitioner may need to keep in mind is variation. As a practitioner, according to the website from Johnson and Johnson a skill you would need to know the various kinds of situations and patients you can receive. The case can change from day today. Which may be difficult to remember all the various kinds of diseases or situations in different ages and backgrounds. Although there is a downside you are able to have a variety and not be restricted to a single organ or group of people.

When being employed as a Nurse Practitioner according to online nurse Practitioner programs a chart provided by the website the largest employer is either “a general medical or surgical hospital”. The second most popular employers are medical offices and clinics along with home health care and nursing facilities. Nurse practitioners are in high demand and growing every day. Nurses are required to make sure the physician’s orders are being enforced. When employed your salary can vary from your state location. From various resources like Glass Door in Georgia, the salary can range from $75K to as high as $132K. This all depends on the location of the work area and your experience in the career. The overall research on becoming a nurse practitioner has helped me get an insight into what I’m signing myself up for. As well as what I have to do to get to the end of the career. The journey will require me to go to school for 6-8 years and gain experience for at least one year. An area I can improve is my management skills. I need to improve my skills in overseeing other nurses and helping them improve. A skill I can continue would be being independent and structured. These two characteristics will help me plan out the care of my patients. The journey overall, however, will be a bumpy one when involving my personal life and family in the future. Pursuing the career of becoming a nurse will help use my characteristic trait of caring into good use. If in the future I happen to change my mind one thing is for sure I still want to contribute to the health of others, and I will strive to take on the journey of becoming a Nurse practitioner. I want to be part of the health care tree.

Citations

1. Writers, Staff. “How to Become a Nurse Practitioner? – NP FAQ.” Nurse Practitioner Schools, NursePractitionerSchools.com, 31 Jan. 2019, www.nursepractitionerschools.com/faq/how-to-become-np/.
2. NursingExplorer. “Nurse Practitioner | NP Career Guide.” Nursing Explorer, www.nursingexplorer.com/careers/aprn/np.
3. “Top Employers of Nurse Practitioners.” Online Nurse Practitioner Programs, www.onlinenursepractitionerprograms.com/what-are-the-top-employers-of-nurse-practitioners/.
4. https://nursejournal.org/, 2019 NurseJournal.org |. “Best Types of Nursing Degrees.” 2017 NurseJournal.org, 13 Feb. 2019, nursejournal.org/articles/types-of-nursing-degrees/.
5. “Nurse Practitioner Salary in Atlanta, GA (March 2019).” Glassdoor, www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/atlanta-nurse-practitioner-salary-SRCH_IL.0,7_IM52_KO8,26.htm.
6. “Nurse Practitioner.” Discover Nursing, nursing.jnj.com/specialty/nurse-practitioner.

Introduction

Becoming a nurse has been a transformative journey filled with learning, challenges, and self-discovery. As I reflect upon my experiences, this personal narrative essay aims to provide a candid self-evaluation of my growth as a nurse, highlighting the areas in which I have excelled and those that require further development. Through introspection and self-assessment, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of my strengths, weaknesses, and the steps I can take to continuously improve as a healthcare professional.

Compassionate Care

One of my strengths as a nurse lies in my ability to provide compassionate care to my patients. I have always believed in treating individuals with respect, dignity, and empathy, acknowledging their unique needs and emotions. Through active listening and genuine connection, I have been able to establish therapeutic relationships that promote healing and trust. However, I recognize the importance of continuously refining my communication skills to ensure that patients feel heard and understood.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for nursing practice, and I have consistently strived to enhance my analytical and problem-solving abilities. By effectively gathering and interpreting data, I have been able to make sound clinical judgments and decisions. Additionally, I have actively sought opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, valuing the expertise of other healthcare professionals in order to provide comprehensive care. Moving forward, I aim to further strengthen my critical thinking skills by staying updated on evidence-based practices and seeking mentorship from experienced nurses.

Time Management and Prioritization

Nursing is a demanding profession that requires efficient time management and the ability to prioritize tasks. Throughout my journey, I have learned to effectively organize my workload and allocate resources to meet the diverse needs of my patients. I have developed strategies to streamline documentation, delegate responsibilities, and adapt to unexpected situations. However, I acknowledge that there is always room for improvement in managing competing priorities and maintaining a balance between patient care, administrative tasks, and personal well-being.

Continuous Learning and Professional Development

As a lifelong learner, I recognize the importance of staying updated with the latest advancements in healthcare and continually expanding my knowledge and skills. I have actively engaged in professional development opportunities, attending conferences, participating in workshops, and pursuing additional certifications. This commitment to growth has allowed me to stay informed about evidence-based practices and provide high-quality care to my patients. Moving forward, I plan to seek out mentorship and educational opportunities that will enhance my clinical expertise and contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.

Emotional Resilience and Self-Care

Working in healthcare can be emotionally challenging, and I have learned the significance of emotional resilience and self-care in maintaining well-being. I have developed coping strategies to manage stress, such as engaging in hobbies, seeking support from colleagues, and practicing mindfulness. However, I understand the importance of consistently nurturing my own mental and physical health to prevent burnout and provide optimal care to my patients. I commit to prioritizing self-care and seeking support when needed.

Conclusion

In this personal narrative essay, I have embarked on a self-evaluation journey as a nurse, reflecting on my strengths and areas for improvement. Through compassionate care, critical thinking, time management, continuous learning, and emotional resilience, I have grown both personally and professionally. I recognize the value of ongoing self-assessment and the commitment to enhancing my skills and knowledge. As I move forward in my nursing career, I will continue to embrace opportunities for growth, seek guidance from experienced mentors, and dedicate myself to providing the highest standard of care to my patients.

Nurses and midwives made vital contributions to the healthcare industry, providing health services to people of all ages, experiencing various forms of diseases and illness (WHO, 2020). It is the profession that requires lots of compassion and dedication since “being a nurse is not without its challenges”. The shortage of staff, violence and assault in the workplace and environmental hazards are some the significant issues that nurses and midwifery are facing nowadays in Australia and globally. These problems have many negative impacts on healthcare workers physically and psychology. In order to promote recruitment, retention and sustainability of qualifies nurses are urgently needed, the government, organisation and stakeholders always come up with new plans and strategies to ensure that the patients satisfied with the healthcare services and nurses also deserve better support and respect.

There are many problems that nurses and midwives confronted today. The nursing profession continues to face ‘catastrophic’ shortages of staff and a shortfall unable to meet the population demands, which will continue for another decade. Especially in the Indigenous community, the shortage of nursing is worse. According to SBS, NSW will need approximately 82,000 more nurses and midwives by 2030, but only 74,000 will be available. Similarly, the other developed countries like the United States is also facing the massive nursing shortage. 92% of emergency rooms always in the state of patient overcrowding as stated by the Bradley University. It means the patients have to wait for a longer time and also put more significant pressure on nurses to treat patients efficiently. These facts emphasize the seriousness of the problem and notify the organisation and the stakeholder to modify and come up with practical solutions to tackle this issue and limit the further impact on the healthcare facility.

How to address the shortage of nursing in Australia and worldwide? Australian government implemented several programs which help to maintain a significant proportion of experienced and expert nurses in the workforce. The program “Initial Registration of Overseas Nurses (IRON)” is known as an overseas program that provides an opportunity for nursing who wish to upgrade their oversea qualification to Australian qualification to adhere to Australian standards (IHNA, 2019). It encourages more register nurses to pursue their career in Australia with many better benefits. Moreover, effective leadership play a vital role in contributing on employee satisfaction, trust in management, and mobilising people towards achieving outstanding health outcomes and creates a positive practice environment that attracts and retains nursing staff. The Florence Nightingale Trust in Tasmania, which offers an annual $10,000 nursing leadership grant to attract Registered Nurses to undertake a leadership project which contributes to their leadership skills. The government implemented several evidence-based programs across Australia to build nurse leadership, including Take the Lead in NSW, Leading Great Care in Western Australia and the Clinical Leadership Programme in South Australia. In like manner, the policymakers and health ministers also develop the most effective policies to address this issue by the support of the Health Workforce as they always provide them with the most up-to-date nursing numbers and projections with detailed analysis.

Furthermore, Occupational Health and Safety (2020) reports that nurses are suffering more violence and assault in the workplace by the patients, the visitors or even from other healthcare workers. A number of surveys demonstrate that the prevalence of violence among health care workers is on the rise and at an alarming level. 21% of the health workers in the nursing profession experienced physically assaulted, and 50% verbally abused in a 12-month period (OHS, 2020). Notably, the Emergency Department Nurses have the highest chance of experiencing violence and assaults, which is up to 90% (Hughes, 2017). Physical, verbal assaulted, or bullying is unacceptable; this is not only impacting on the physical well-being but can have a long and lasting negative effect on the workers’ psychological and mental health. Consequently, this reasonably decreases the quality of care and puts heal-care provision at risk. However, the frequency of violence and bullying is difficult to determine because it is often under-reported; approximately 44% of nurses do not report physical abuse. It is due to many reasons for instances, lacking reporting policy, reporting does not make any difference or reporting can cause further violence (Hughes, 2017). These incivility behaviours have to report to control patient-to-worker and worker-to-worker violence in the clinical environment and prevent further serious consequences.

For organisations to maintain the current nursing workforce and prepare for the future, it is necessary to address the workplace violence issues and build a more respectful and healthy practice environment. The American Nurses Credentialing Centre implements a program “Pathway to Excellence” which comes up with a framework for a positive environment that ensures the organisation protects the healthcare workers through safety policies and practices. Some of the strategies of the Pathway to Excellence program include annual online learning about disruptive behaviours, domestic threats, self-awareness, predisposing factors and active shooter training which available for all healthcare workers worldwide. Limited access into the hospital after 10 p.m. that is also a part of the framework which use to mitigate the potential of staff isolation in work areas. As a result, these strategies create an opportunity for nurses to work in a better environment and helping them become more productive and engaging. The hospital encourages to put up the poster indicating zero tolerance for all forms of violence placed throughout the facility at public entrances and elevators that helps to raise the awareness of people about the essence of safety workplace. In addition to these strategies, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers a free course “Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses”. This course builds up to help healthcare workers recognize and mitigate all types of violence and strengthen teamwork skills to prevent and manage the disrespectful behaviours. Raising awareness about workplace violence and harassments boost safety and increase the likelihood of reporting. Importantly, the nurses have to acknowledge that workplace violence is not “part of the job”, reporting is a key to protect themselves and prevent future occurrences.

Additionally, the environmental hazard is one of the significant issues that nurses have to face nowadays. In the workplace, nurses confront endless occupational hazards regularly. The statistic indicates that nurses suffer one of the highest levels of work-related back injuries compared to any other occupations globally, accounting over 70% of all injuries in the nursing profession. Approximately 55 per 1000 nurses experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2018, as stated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Lifting, transporting and repositioning patients and working in extremely awkward postures which play a part in causing musculoskeletal disorder injuries. Especially, nurses more often get injured due to the sharp objects, for instance, needles and blades which usually contaminated with blood or other body fluid where mainly contains a variety of bacteria and germ predisposes. It directly links to the threat of infectious disease such as tuberculosis, hepatitis and HIV. Several studies found that nurses who are working in the radiology department are at higher risk of toxic exposures. Coming in contact with chemicals like sterilizing agents or chemotherapy drugs will have a severe impact on nursing’s health. The reasons for incidence include improper handling and accidental spill on the skin, inhaling fumes from chemotherapy drugs and small spay when the chemical container punctured by needle. Nausea and rashes are some of the side effects. Still, it can be more dangerous if the individual exposes to the chemicals repeatedly over a period of time and that more severe consequences can be mentioned such as nervous system damage or organ failure (Jacoby, 2016). The injuries can cause short-time and long-term health effects and have direct consequences on patient care, and they are likely to retire early, which contribute to the looming nursing shortage.

From these numerous issues and challenges mentioned above, staff shortage can consider as the most severe problem, and it is now a recognised global challenge. The reasons for the lack of nursing in Australia are broadly similar to other countries in the world. This well-documented deficiency is due to the aging population, the aging workforce and a more massive burden of chronic diseases which increase health care needs. The most predominant reason is the aging population of both patients and nurses. The epidemiology shows that many developed countries have a relatively large proportion of its population is aged 65 and over. That indicates an increase in health issues and hospitalisation for patients who require intensive care. Along with the aging population, Australia’s rising population is also putting more pressure on healthcare. Another contributing factor that decreases in numbers of registered nurses is the nature of the industry. Working in the nursing profession is physically and mentally challenging and stressful, and sometimes inflexible, leading to high rates of burnout. They also have to work in a harsh environment; thus, there is a mass exodus of nurses leaving the industry. As mentioned above, there is such a drastic shortage of rural nurses in the Indigenous community because nursing in remote areas faces more challenges than those working in the urban environment. The problem can include isolation and lack of support from the healthcare organisation and government. Therefore, the healthcare workforce has insufficient staff capacity to meet the population needs.

Undoubtedly, the shortage of nursing beneficial for new graduate nurses as it is easier for them to look for a job and better pay is also an advantage. However, the shortage of nurse can have a largely negative impact on nursing themselves. If the hospital can not hire enough nurses, the nurses will end up working overtime. Long working hours and doing overtime can cause fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder, reduce productivity and increase the risks that the nurses will make mistakes. Nursing burnout and job dissatisfaction endanger both the patients and themselves. The workplace violence, as referenced in the above paragraph, is also due to the inadequate staffing levels and supervision, contributing to stress. The presence of workforce violence is associated with intention to leave and turnover rates. In the context of global nurse shortages, what is the future action or initiatives to address this issue? The results of this study give compelling arguments for changes to healthcare policy and management. Healthcare management and policymakers must ensure maximum exposure to nursing work and provide sufficient support to undertake the task properly. Furthermore, the government in charge of providing financial support in order to create health and positive work environment that support safe staffing practices such as implementing strategies to reduce job strain and overload, improving leadership support and reducing the physical demands of the job. Most importantly, the hospital needs to capitalize on nurses’ inherent attachment to work and irrespective of generation to increase the retention of nurses in the hospital and to reduce nurse shortages worldwide.

According to WHO (2019), nurses and midwives account for almost half of the global health workforce; they play a critical role in healthcare service by improving the patient’s quality of life and providing care in primary, community and hospital settings, including emergency and critical care area. Nursing and midwifery have been central to delivery to modern healthcare for many decades. It is undeniable that healthcare workers have to face a lot of issues and challenges throughout their career. These problems can include the shortage of nursing, violence and assault in the workplace and environmental hazards. These challenges place onerous demands on healthcare workers and healthcare systems around the world; therefore, potential initiatives and strategies need to develop in order to address these challenges.

Why do I want to Be a Nurse?

My name is Krista. I was born and raised in Florida. I grew up being surrounded by so many influential people. My mom was a pediatric oncology nurse and my father was a combat medic in the United States Army, my grandmother was a nurse for 40 years and her husband, my grandfather, retired from the United States Air Force after 25 years. I was born into a family whose life goals were to always put the safety and health of people first. I remember when I was six years old, it was Halloween and I wanted to be a nurse. My mother bought a pair of scrubs that I wore trick-or-treating, and once I put those scrubs on, I just loved the way they made me feel. I knew then that I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to put the health and safety of people first, as my family did, and I wanted to make them proud.

Fast-forward, to August 2015, I made the choice to start nursing school and ultimately become a registered nurse. It was scary and overwhelming, but I was also very excited to officially be on the path that I chose when I was 6 years old. The nursing school laid out the foundation I would need in order to be successful. I completed my associate’s degree in nursing in August 2017. Two months later, I took the NCLEX and passed on the first try. I gained employment at an emergency department in December 2017. Being a brand new nurse at the time and starting in the ER was a bit overwhelming, to say the least, but here I am two years later, still in the ER, enjoying every minute and every new opportunity to learn.

Obtaining My BSN

After being in the emergency department and gaining experience over the course of the past two years, I decided I wanted more. I wanted to turn nursing into a profession. I started looking into “RN to BSN” programs and found South University. Many factors influenced my decision to take the leap. Hospitals are starting to require registered nurses to either have their BSN prior to starting the job, or they give you a timeframe to start and complete a program and earn your BSN degree. Studies have shown that nurses who have obtained their BSN degree improve patient outcomes in the clinical care setting versus nurses who have a lesser degree. For example, BSN nurses have been shown to lower mortality rates and have more efficiency in properly diagnosing patients. O, B. D., Knowlton, M., & Whichello, R. (2018)

Obtaining my BSN degree will change my current role in the emergency department setting. My current role as a Clinical Nurse II on the unit basically states that I have 2-3 years of experience and that I can be a preceptor to teach new graduate nurses on the floor. It also gives me the opportunity to be the lead nurse in any of the traumas, codes, or STEMIs (ST elevated myocardial infarction) that come through the doors. After completing the BSN program and transitioning into that role, you get to add those initials to the end of RN. It will be “RN, BSN”.

As soon as people see those extra letters on your badge, I feel that they approach it differently. Nurse managers and directors approach you with more respect and they can trust your decisions. BSN nurses at my hospital have more opportunities than those that are not. Once you obtain the degree, you can branch into being a Nurse Educator on the unit, assume the role of the Charge Nurse, or become a Nurse Leader. I would love the opportunity to be in any of those roles, as I believe it would increase my experience and improve patient satisfaction.

Models of Socialization

After reviewing the models of socialization by Cohen and Brenner, I have chosen to place myself in Brenner’s model. I consider myself a new nurse, with only been a licensed registered nurse for two years. I immediately started working in the emergency room post-licensure and have fallen in love with it. In Brenner’s model of socialization, I have placed myself in Stage III, otherwise known as “Competent Practitioners”. Stage III is especially important for new nurses like me, with 2-3 years of experience. Being in this stage requires competence, efficiency, and prioritization (Black, B. 2016). In my opinion, working in the emergency department requires many characteristics to be displayed by each nurse. A nurse must display flexibility, timeliness, prioritization, compassion, and mental stability to name a few.

When I first started in the emergency room, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Multiple people mentioned, “you should start out on med -surge just to get your feet wet”, but I knew where I wanted to be. My preceptorship lasted 16 weeks: two 12-hour shifts and one 12-hour class day a week. The night before my first official day on my own, I kept running through different scenarios in my head. For instance, if a STEMI or Stoke Alert came in, what are all the items I need to set up, what medications should I think to have ready, what should I have on standby, etc. Just my luck, I had two STEMIs and one Stroke Alert on my first day, and I got through it. Fast forward two years, I am now the one that new nurses come to and ask questions. I am now fully competent and efficient among other characteristics, although the learning never stops. Within the next year or so, I hope to branch into Brenner’s fourth stage, “Proficient Practitioners”. (Black, B 2016.) Emergency nurses have a piece of in-depth knowledge and high skill set because they see all different types of people across the lifespan and they direct their care to each patient as needed per age/background/scenario. “Emergency nursing care is episodic, primary, typically short-term, and occurs in a variety of settings,” (Solheim, J., & Sigma Theta Tau International.).

Goals of Being a Professional Nurse

Over the past four years of finishing nursing school and starting my career, I have completed many goals that I set out for myself. For instance, I wanted to get through nursing school with flying colors, sit for the NCLEX and pass on the first try, get hired, and obtain my dream job in the emergency department; all things that I have completed thus far in my nursing career. I set a timeframe for myself to start and complete my BSN. I wanted to start before the new calendar year of 2020, which I am now currently doing. Two professional short-term goals that I would like to complete are finishing my BSN with ease and taking the CEN (certified emergency nurse) exam. As stated before, finishing up my BSN will open new doors of leadership for me in the hospital setting. The CEN exam is for nurses working in the “emergency department setting who want to demonstrate their expertise, knowledge, and versatility in emergency nursing”. (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, 2015)

Completing the CEN, as well as BSN, will not only show my knowledge in professional nursing but will also show a higher level of knowledge and experience specifically related to emergency nursing. The Certified Emergency Nurse exam, has proven results that nurses who become certified demonstrate increased knowledge, better skills, and overall substantial performance in the critical care setting. (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, 2015)

After accomplishing the short-term goals I have set out for myself, I would like to set two professional long-term goals for myself to complete before I am thirty years old. I am now twenty-five years old. By the time I complete my short-term goals of completing my BSN and passing the CEN exam, I will be just turning twenty-six. I have always wanted to be a nurse practitioner, more specifically an Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner. Within the next four years after completing my BSN, I would 1) like to start and complete an NP program, and 2) take the boards and land a job in the emergency department as an NP. Switching from the role of a registered nurse with a BSN in the emergency room to a nurse practitioner in the emergency room opens a multitude of doors for oneself. Nurse practitioners in the ER can manage and treat acutely ill patients across the entire lifespan. Having nurse practitioners practice in the critical care setting improves access to care and lessens the workloads of physicians, thus physicians can spend more time in the critical trauma rooms if needed. According to the Association of American Medical College (AAMC), there will be a national shortage of roughly 41,000 – 105,000 physicians because of our nation’s increasing population and increase in the average age of the geriatric population. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are already filling the gaps needed in the clinical care setting. (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2019)

Challenges and Barriers

There are challenges and barriers that will be set forth in front of me as I accomplish my short-term and long-term goals. Challenges that I will face in completing my BSN will be learning exactly how to apply everything I will have learned, concisely and efficiently, into the clinical care setting as well as in everyday life. I believe that balancing enough time for my BSN and studying for the CEN concurrently could also post a minor challenge, with all of my focus currently being put into achieving my BSN first. My husband and I have been married for two years and we have decided that we will want children in the near future. As with all things in life, sometimes things get in the way of certain goals when you add new factors that can change the game. As stated earlier, I would like to become a nurse practitioner and be hired in the emergency department before I am thirty years old. If my husband and I would like to have kids, I believe it could pose a challenge in the timeframe that I set for myself.

With different challenges and barriers being set before me, it is also beneficial to have a support system. If I struggle to learn how to apply knowledge from my BSN in the clinical care setting, my Nurse Manager and ER Director will be my mentors. They will ensure that I make the transition with ease and are available for any questions regarding my new role. My husband is my main supporter along with my family. When my husband and I choose to have children, he will make sure I have a set-aside time to study for school as well as have a mental break here and there. My family will help to ensure I have everything I need to complete the goals I have set for myself. With my mentors and support system, I believe I will have absolutely no problem finishing my BSN, passing the CEN, earning my MSN, becoming a nurse practitioner, and landing a job in the emergency department.

References

1. About the Certified Emergency Nurse Exam: BCEN. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2019, from https://bcen.org/cen/about-the-exam/.
2. O, B. D., Knowlton, M., & Whichello, R. (2018). Attention Health Care Leaders: Literature Review Deems Baccalaureate Nurses Improve Patient Outcomes. Nursing Education Perspectives (Wolters Kluwer Health), 39(4), E2–E6. https://doiorg.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000303
3. Black, B. Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges. [South University]. Retrieved from https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/9780323431125/
4. New Findings Confirm Predictions on Physician Shortage. (2019, April 23). Retrieved from https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/new-findings-confirm-predictionsphysician- shortage.
5. Solheim, J., & Sigma Theta Tau International. (2016). Emergency Nursing: The Profession, The Pathway, The Practice. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohostcom. southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1151364&site= eds-live

Today, the number of people suffering from chronic diseases is increasing in the world. In addition to being the most common and costly, these health conditions require strong professional qualities, values, and beliefs of health professionals in their intervention.

Nursing values and beliefs are essential to the practice of nursing as they guide the standards of action for nurses, influence decision-making, and provide a framework for the evaluation of behavior. They include altruism, human dignity, autonomy, integrity, and social justice.

Altruism is one of the most cherished values in nursing as it is concerned with the selfless concern for the well-being of others. As a nurse, showing compassion and empathy to patients is one of the principal values that increases clinical outcomes for the patient.

Another fundamental nursing value is human dignity, which requires that nurses value ad respect humanity. As a nurse, we are always involved with certain situations that can demean the dignity and self-worth of a person, but showing respect and value to each patient as a unique human who desires to live is upholding this value.

The value of autonomy is also significant in nursing as it requires nurses to allow the patients to make independent decisions concerning the kind of care they need. Whenever a situation calls for the decision of a patient on the best method of care, I would always yield to their decisions as long as they are in sound mind, and if not, consider the decision made by their family members.

Trust and honesty are also important aspects of integrity as a nursing value. To demonstrate integrity, I will ensure that I build the trust of the patients by offering them information in a simple way that allows them to make the right decision, as well as taking responsibility for every action that I undertake as the nurse in charge.

Social justice is a nursing value that deals with equity in the provision of health care. I can achieve this by offering non-discriminative care to all patients irrespective of their class, religion, or status.

To develop professional values and beliefs, education is key. According to Jager, Nolte, and Temane (2016), through continuous learning, it is easier to acquire more skills that enable nurses to perform their duties more professionally. Additionally, learning from other professionals through consultation and advice is equally an important strategy in developing values and beliefs. Hallin and Danielson (2008) argue that not all nursing values and beliefs can be learned in the workplace. Therefore, nurses should join professional bodies to enable them to develop more of these beliefs and values.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that nursing beliefs and values are extremely important in order to obtain a positive clinical outcome for patients, especially those with chronic diseases. Nurses must develop them in order to successfully fulfill their main mission – providing help to those who need it.